This International Sauvignon Blanc Day (May 6), raise a glass with Villa Maria. With over 60 years of winemaking experience, Villa Maria leads the way for passionately crafted New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc renowned across the world.
Originating from France, Sauvignon Blanc has found a second home in Marlborough, New Zealand with its unique aromatic, fruit-driven, and zesty acidity, a canvas to express both terroir and a winemaker’s prowess. Marlborough is New Zealand’s largest grape growing region with more than two-thirds of the country’s grapevines in its embrace and with its long hours of sunshine, fertile yet well-draining soils, and cool nights, it’s no wonder it is the epicenter of Sauvignon Blanc.
“What I love most about Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is the legacy we are building as a brand and as a country,” says Villa Maria winemaker Helen Morrison. “Sixty years ago, no one could have predicted the worldwide attention, scale, and growth New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc has garnered. I do believe we produce some of the best Sauvignon Blanc offerings in the world, and wine drinkers and critics from all edges of the world seem to agree.”
Villa Maria’s Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc is the epitome of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. This wine is the perfect blend crafted from fruit from Marlborough’s subregions of the Awatere Valley and Wairau Valley to showcase everything fresh and vibrant about the region.Villa Maria’s experienced winemaking team assess the different parcels of fruit and vinify separately according to each one’s needs. The numerous lots are then blended to create Villa Maria’s signature, award-winning Sauvignon Blanc.
The Villa Maria Reserve Sauvignon Blanc is a selection of the best fruit from the Wairau Valley sub-region of Marlborough. This wine is a classic representation of the Wairau Valley, bursting with aromatic tropical fruit characters found in this warmer sub-region. This wine is bold and exuberant with notes of passionfruit and tropical fruit. Through Villa Maria’s skilled winemaking, both terroir and true varietal character shine.
The critically acclaimed single-vineyard Villa Maria Taylors Pass Sauvignon Blanc is an outstanding example of Villa Maria’s viticultural expertise. Each terrace of the vineyard boasts a different soil type, from stony gravel close to the river to deep silt over clay-papa at the highest level. Ripening times vary in this mosaic of a vineyard and harvest is a complex dance therefore producing a ‘fruit salad’ of aromatic Sauvignon Blanc flavors to tell the story of the Taylors Pass site in any given vintage.
Always innovative and always forward-thinking, Villa Maria is at the forefront of sustainability initiatives in the New Zealand wine industry. “As we look towards our future, we need to be continually striving to be leading the way, delivering exceptional quality wines whilst always ensuring we are protecting our land and environment for future generations,” says Morrison.
The estate has been farming sustainably since the 1990s and was a founding member of Sustainable Winegrowing NZ in 1995. Villa Maria has been praised for both their past and continuing commitment to sustainable production. The culmination of these achievements can be tasted in the recently launched EarthGarden Sauvignon Blanc, made from 100 percent organic grapes certified by BioGro, New Zealand’s leading organic certification and accreditation program. Chemicals are never used in the vineyard and compost from grape pomace and other natural materials provide nutrients to the soils. By eschewing filtering agents from animal byproducts, the wine is vegan. The result is a bright, fresh, and fruit-driven wine with mouthwatering acidity.
On this International Sauvignon Blanc Day, grab your friends, grab a glass, and toast with your favorite Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc. Click here to learn more.
Last Updated: September 28, 2022
